Heather Berberet, author of “Love on the Beach,” Winner in the 2021 San Diego Memoir Showcase. Interview by Laura Engel, SDMWA Board President
LE: Congratulations on being a winner in the Showcase. In a nutshell – tell us about your winning memoir piece for the 7th Annual San Diego Memoir Showcase.
HB: This is my lesbian “coming out” story, at least coming out to myself and one other person. Unlike the painful stories so many other people experience, mine was both terrifying and joyful.
LE: What has been your experience taking classes/workshops and writing memoir in San Diego?
HB: I am so deeply appreciative for the wisdom and support provided by San Diego Memoir Writers Association and San Diego Writers, Ink. In particular, my memoir work has taught me that regardless of whether we are writing fiction or telling true stories—our own or someone else’s—the elements of a captivating, moving story remain the same.
LE: This year has been unsettling in so many ways. How do you think that has affected your writing?
HB: As a psychologist, I found that while the pandemic did not give me more time to write, it did lend an intensity and “golden glow” to my writing time. Writing became one of the ways I could leave the distress and pain of the real world behind and create a place that felt way more fun and predictable.
LE: What are you excited about when it comes to participating in the 6th Annual San Diego Memoir Showcase??
HB: Having a piece selected for the Showcase has been a goal of mine for about five years. Having been chosen tells me that my writing has some value and that I have, in truth, been learning the craft along the way. It can be difficult to know the quality of your work from inside your own head and heart. The external validation from the Showcase tells me I am on the right track.
LE: What advice would you give new memoir writers?
HB: TELLING a good story is not the same as HAVING a good story. Hold onto your story with everything you’ve got but give yourself time and compassion as you learn the craft of telling it. It’s worth it!
LE: We are so excited for you Heather and cannot wait to see your work performed on stage on Dec 7th at the San Diego Memoir Showcase at the Conrad in La Jolla.